Project information

Take Your Seat at NYO

To provide an exceptional programme of musical training to Britain's most talented young musicians. We aim to be the most inspirational orchestra for young people in the country which we will accomplish through musical and leadership opportunities for NYO and NYO Inspire musicians throughout 2017.

Charity information: National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain

Need

In the current funding climate there's a real danger that we lose orchestral activity at the margins. Environments need to be created and maintained where we nurture both the next generation of musicians and creative, culturally aware citizens. The cost of an NYO seat has increased in recent years, reflecting our expanded peer-to-peer learning work. Contributing to the cost of place of an NYO musician now forms a donation towards their seat alongside the activity of a counterpart in NYO Inspire.

Solution

Take Your Seat at NYO enables us to provide NYO musicians with opportunities to engage with world class conductors, soloists and professional musicians in the country's leading concert venues. Through peer-to-peer learning between NYO and NYO Inspire musicians, we can then spread this benefit even wider. Importantly, by subsidising orchestral seats, we ensure that no talented young musician is unable to take up their place in NYO, regardless of their financial circumstances.

Aim 1

To support the development of NYO musicians through providing musical and leadership opportunities.

Activities

» Deliver 3 two week residencies from December 2016 - August 2017 which will culminate in performances in the country's leading music venues. » Enable opportunities to work alongside world class conductors, soloists and professional musicians to encourage musical and personal development. » To offer access to workshops and performances to young people across the country, engaging with members of NYO in peer-led activities with NYO Inspire

Success will be increasing the amount of seats supported, ensuring all talented young musicians are able to participate, regardless of their financial circumstances.

Impact

This project will enable us to engage with more young people outside the members of the orchestra. By investing in the young musicians in NYO 2017, it will have a knock on effect on the quality of the peer-learning opportunities we are able to offer to our Inspire musicians. Indeed, eighteen NYO Inspire musicians have gone on to become NYO musicians in the less than two years this programme has been running. Long-term success will be an increase in applications to our Inspire activity.

Risk

If we fail to achieve our funding targets, the depth of our leadership activity could be jeopardised. We deal with this by having regular budget updates, with contingency plans built in that look at areas of flexibility in our plans. As a youth orchestra that meets in school holidays, this means that we have limited numbers of opportunities to engage directly with the orchestra. We deal with this by using our website and social platforms to ensure that NYO has a continuous, visible presence.

Reporting

Supporters will receive regular contact from NYO including news updates, invitations to concerts and special supporters bars, post-course feedback, and an annual report on NYO's activities.

Current Funding / Pledges

Location

The National Youth Orchestra brings together young musicians from all over Great Britain. Annual courses are held around the country and in recent years have included Birmingham, Nottingham, Durham, and London. Inspire activity is regularly in Liverpool, Wolverhampton, Manchester, and London. Our National status means that we reach young people across the country.

Beneficiaries

- Talented young NYO musicians who will receive the best possible orchestral experiences in a creative, safe and supportive environment.

- Young people across the country who will be inspired by their peers to discover more about where music can take them through NYO Inspire.

- Young audiences across the country who currently enjoy few cultural opportunities will be given the chance to hear a full symphony orchestra perform live when Inspire musicians take it in turn to tour to schools.

Why Us?

NYO is more than just an orchestra. For the young musicians themselves, it's an opportunity to take their talent to new frontiers and to share their passion and creativity with audiences across the country. NYO gives many young people their first ever experience of seeing an orchestra live and provides others with an exciting chance to come and play with our members through Inspire activities that offer them a renewed sense of what they can accomplish themselves.